Panzer Rancho Lift Kit Detail Install.

[Panzer07]

And of course after some abuse due to the amazing SoCal wheeling trails the rancho Kit took its first scratches and bends....
Driver side crossmember support links and brakes were pretty bend...rancho guys say they would replace them next time...however they say nothing about improving them for strength...they say it is normal for them to bend when use heavily at the trails.
.

As well the front rancho crossmember took some minor bending on the passenger side.

The driver side it looks normal as it should.

As well the skit plate took some minor bends, however I didn't took pics of it since they were minor and it is not too vital to the proper functioning of the kit.


HOWEVER I DO MUST SAY. that the rancho guy answer regarding the strength of the crossmember strength and front crossmember..didn't quite i pare much confidence on them really improving the kit too much as they first claimed...since the guy straight to,d me that "the rancho lift kit suspension is designed for on road and light off road uses" they are by not mean designed for heavy off-road use but rather street driving. Which left me with the words of "WTF".
Anyways aside from that they doing a great job....and it makes sense them not being too interested or concern about further improving the kit than just taking care of the rear sagging problem...since the H3 aren't being made anymore and there isn't too much money being made from this kits...as well as Larry told me...strengthening the bended crossmember piece as well the links would require a heavier metal and more expensive which in result it would come down to a much more expensive kit...and heavier pieces.



Torres

 

[amrg]

How much did the other springs sag if any?

 

[Panzer07]

How much did the other springs sag if any?

Not much if any
.1
.2 of and inch
Not much at all. If any.

Torres

 

[amrg]

I guess you will need to beef up or add a third crossmember reinforcement later so you won't have issues in the future with the type of wheeling you do!

 

[Panzer07]

I guess you will need to beef up or add a third crossmember reinforcement later so you won't have issues in the future with the type of wheeling you do!

Most definitely.
Or just do what 06 H3 did and go solid...this kit should have 2-3 years or some more of life in it...it is an awesome kit...for what it was intended for as the rancho guys said....but anything crazier you'll either have to fab or reinforce yourself...since their market is for medium low light off road. Anything crazier you should go a different route...which makes sense since the mall crawler poser community is bigger than the actual off-roader.


Torres

 

[kilroy]

Appears if they'd box the ends of the crossmember above the LCA and possibly behind,depending on clearance issues, would be a huge improvement in strength without adding much in weaight. I meen really, we're taling about adding maybe 5-10 lbs of steel, tops, to add reliability and strength, at the price of their lifts durability and off-road strength should be their priority......not supplying parts to make a truck "look tough" on the street.

 

[Panzer07]

their lifts durability and off-road strength should be their priority......not supplying parts to make a truck "look tough" on the street.

That's exactly what I think...I mean don't get me wrong their kit is tough as it is. And can't take a way greater stress than what I've put the kit thru, all it takes it is to watch 06H3 videos and pics to see that the kit is reliable and tough. But anyways like they say their kit wasn't developed for hardcore off roading abuse, and even if it was you'd still have a chance of messing up or breaking component...just as you would with anything else, "you can't 100% bulletproof something when it comes to off-roading" a big factor on no breaking components has to do with driver skills. Overall it all makes sense if you really think about it. The off road market for the h3 is small and always been so...than the mall crawler community. It only make sense that a big company as rancho Would target the non off-roading community. After all they trying to run a business. Which in reality it is not different than what GM did with the H3 when marketing it.




Torres

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

that "street and light duty" comment makes me concerned... it'd cost them very little money to make that brace a lot stronger - still, they're the only game in town, so it's still their rules.

 

[Bigunit]

Wait till you see the Scorpion/PCF enhancements/modifications to the Rancho lift kit that I got from Panzer07!

 

[06 H3]

Amen to Dwaine!
You will have a tougher time to follow lifted 4x4s when you sit at t bar crank height and have a longer wheelbase h3 or T.

a rancho lift is still top dawg in my eyes but its shortcomings can be overcome easily. first off they are working on the rear leafs w panzer or do a spring over.

The aft bars are a joke. very weak. Make new ones of 1.75 .120wall Dom tubing. Even wth the added strength of the bars the mounts are still a weak link. Weld 1/4in mounts on the crossmember.

That will stiffen up the front crossmembers. Even then if you wanna get crazy you can brace the front.

Long live the rancho lift!!! Still the best bolt on mod for some good wheeling. Wanna wheel harder? Well you gotta modify it a bit. Same goes for any vehicle. Yota, jeep, hummer doesn't matter. You gotta reenforce even aftermarket parts. I see it all the time....my buddies beat on their crap hard. I do too....as their weak brackets slowly break they replace them with beefier stuff. I was installing my new bumper from thorparts my bolts don't wanna line up without hammers cursing and ratchet straps...CJ never had someone have that issue before. That's what happens when you beat the snot outta stuff.

 

[06 H3]

And chocoflip won a stock class race with a rancho lifted 3....the components are there just need some reenforcement

 

[Panzer07]

And chocoflip won a stock class race with a rancho lifted 3....the components are there just need some reenforcement

Yupe I'm gonna share that next time I meet with them...he only broke a shock and bended a bump stop bracket. Right???


Torres

 

[Panzer07]

Wait till you see the Scorpion/PCF enhancements/modifications to the Rancho lift kit that I got from Panzer07!

I'll look forward to that. :thumbs:


Torres

 

[reaper]

It would be nice if they just made a spring-over kit for the rear. My Rancho springs were replaced, sagged AGAIN, and I added a $100 add-a-leaf kit which brought it back to normal. But I really would like to just spring-over the rear.

 

[Panzer07]

It would be nice if they just made a spring-over kit for the rear. My Rancho springs were replaced, sagged AGAIN, and I added a $100 add-a-leaf kit which brought it back to normal. But I really would like to just spring-over the rear.

It won't happen Rancho has made it clear to me that they like to keep their kits simple to install...bolt on and go.
And with those $100 dollar you should of just waited and add $60 more or so and got the pieces necessaries from rough stuff for the SOA.
So far the last spring they tested they didn't sag, and I flexed beat them as much as possible, anyways so will see how this new sets holds on.


Torres

 

[Bigunit]

Panzer, is there any way you could get Rancho to give you that last set of springs? I'm ready! [emoji12]

 

[Panzer07]

Panzer, is there any way you could get Rancho to give you that last set of springs? I'm ready! [emoji12]

I'd have to ask them man I'm trying to get more than one set of springs lol so I can tweak with it on the spring over. But idk if they would be down to let me keep more than one. They did said they'd left me choose what springs I like better regardless of what they decide to go with. But ever hurts to ask lol


Torres

 

[RamRod]

Any updates?

I just spoke with the guys over at Rancho about my springs settling back to stock height even with a AAL! And they told me they should have new springs sorted out in 30 days or so?

Does this time line add up or will there be more testing?

Customer service at Rancho is top knotch, they are sending me a new Aft Bar Brace no questions asked, all I told them is that I bent one of the two!!

I am excited to hear if they found a new spring that works or not..... Wont matter for much longer to me since I am going to SOA as soon as my crown performance brake lines get in! But exciting for our lil group of Hummers none the less


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[Panzer07]

Any updates?

I just spoke with the guys over at Rancho about my springs settling back to stock height even with a AAL! And they told me they should have new springs sorted out in 30 days or so?

Does this time line add up or will there be more testing?

Customer service at Rancho is top knotch, they are sending me a new Aft Bar Brace no questions asked, all I told them is that I bent one of the two!!

I am excited to hear if they found a new spring that works or not..... Wont matter for much longer to me since I am going to SOA as soon as my crown performance brake lines get in! But exciting for our lil group of Hummers none the less


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I don't think the springs would be ready in 30 days. 60 might be more realistic. I believe they testing one more set of springs...but they were still trying to decide that. I like the last set of springs...and this new ones are just as good. I like them better because they can take a little bit more weight. Neither of the springs have sag yet.


Torres

"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."
-Friedrich Nietzsche

 

[Panzer07]

Well I been lagging it on he update of this due to being busy as hell with training. Anyways so the last set of spring that rancho installed (some American 2 stage spring with a higher weight pay lot) end up sagging an inch or so. All of them were street miles so that basically out that set of springs out. Larry told my wife that they were going to installed some another set of springs from the same canadian that made the last set of springs that I wheeled and flexed th hell out of it on the trails and manage to retain their integrity and height. Anyways I get the truck back and check the springs and are the same springs that the current rancho lift kit comes with. Idk if hey trying to pull a fast one on me or rancho decided to test their old springs one more time or what not. But panzer is currently running the old rancho springs. I haven't noticed no sag but then again I only driven panzer on road. So we should see how they do at the end of the month or whenever we meet again.
Good thing is that regardless of which springs they decide to go with I get to choose the set of springs I like more. And personally I love them canadian springs. Anyways after this set of spring panzer duty is somewhat done and I'll just report them for 2 months if their has been any change in the springs or no.

At which point I'll be running bilsteins shock and sending this ones to bigunit as agreed so he can installed his lift kit and run the old springs and hopefully they don take too lon to sag so he can get a new set of the new improve springs. As well ill be sending him the set of spring I choose from rancho to keep once I do the spring over axel. Life is good.


Torres

 

[RamRod]

The Canadian company (Standins) has a huge warehouse 20 min from my old place.... If they don't switch to them then perhaps a phone call is in order to get a price on them for the guys that don't want to do the SOA


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[Panzer07]

Yeah I'm still going to continue to push them canadian springs to be the standard new springs


Torres

 

[Fish]

:thumbs:

 

[rascole]

Wait till you see the Scorpion/PCF enhancements/modifications to the Rancho lift kit that I got from Panzer07!

What might these upgrades be?

 

[RamRod]

What might these upgrades be?

I wanna know too!


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